At All Costs
by stnaley
Summary: Peeta tries to get in with the Careers. One-Shot


I make my way to the dining room, hoping in my mind that she isn't awake yet. If my plan works, she'll get out of this thing alive and I can stop worrying. I really don't care if I die. My only concern is for her welfare, her survival.

I hear a clink of glass as I turn the corner. _Crap, she's awake._

Luckily, it's just Haymitch, pouring himself an early drink. Typical, really, he 'gives up' but still tries to sneak one by us, so it seems, every morning. As it goes, he's just the person I need to talk to. Though his drinking is a crucial part of my plan.

"Haymitch?"

"Peeta, my boy! How are you this morning?" He glances over to me, but immediately turns back to his drink and swivels it, watching the colours dance.

"Fine. Can I ask you something?" My words still waver, but I know I have to do this.

He cocks his head to the side, "What is it?"

"How do I put this... um, I'd like to train alone now."

"Ah, I see. Why's," he hiccups, "that?"

"Just make sure it happens, please."

He nods, turning back to his drink. He has a plateful of food but he doesn't touch it once. I hear a knocking and a voice squeaks down the hallway.

"Get up darling! It's going to be a big, big, big day!"

Effie saunters in like she's the Queen of Panem. She might as well be in the ridiculous outfit she's wearing today, which includes a tiara atop her latest wig.

"Good mo-o-o-orning! What were you dears talking about?"

I explain the situation to her quietly, constantly watching the hallway entrance to the dining room, knowing _she_'s bound to arrive any moment. Effie agrees with my proposal, saying she'll take her for interviews first today, and Haymitch will coach me, then we'll switch.

Katniss stops for a second in the dining room entrance. My eyes flick over to her for a second, then back to our closing discussion. She shakes her head slightly, and piles up a plate of lamb stew on wild rice. The three of us cease our conversation as she takes her seat. For a while, not one of us says anything. I don't dare to look at her. Regardless of my true intentions, I can't help but think that she'll find it as a betrayal.

"So what's going on? You're coaching us on interviews today, right?"

I still can't look at her.

"That's right," Haymitch says. He's put his drink down. I guess he's just as scared of her as I am, sometimes.

"You don't have to wait until I'm done. I can listen and eat at the same time," she says, nodding for him to continue.

"Well there's been a change of plans. About our current approach."

I can feel her glance over each of us, but keep my eyes fixed on my plate. Don't look at me, just don't.

"What's that?" She puts her knife and fork down, fully intent on listening now.

I feel Haymitch shrug at my side, as he says, "Peeta has asked to be coached separately."

She doesn't say anything. The minutes feel like hours before she picks up her cutlery again. I flinch, almost, concerned for my own health now. She goes back to eating, simply saying "Good."

Good? _Good?_ She doesn't have any questions, just 'good'? Well that's kind of a letdown. But I remind myself that Katniss is logical. However, regardless of the viewpoint she sees this from, whatever she believes I've made this decision for, she's wrong. She'll never understand, not really.

"So what's the schedule?" she says, carrying on as if nothing has happened.

"You'll each have four hours with Effie for presentation, and four hours with me for content," Haymitch answers. " You start with Effie, Katniss." She nods in response, and the conversation dies.

* * *

I sit for a moment in the room, cautious of waking Haymitch. He drifted off in a semi-drunken stupor a while ago after we tried to go through angles for my interview. I couldn't pick one, so I just dismissed the conversation.

Silently, I stand up and step over to my snoring mentor for a final check. The Avox in the corner of the room fidgets. I think about bringing my finger to my lips in a 'shh!' motion, but I feel that would be insensitive.

I leave quickly so as not to wake him and sprint on the balls of my feet for the elevator.

They'll be there. They've probably received training for their interviews at home anyway, they can skip this part of today. Maybe just one or two will be there, I don't know. I really just need to talk to one of them for this to work. Then he or she can convince the others.

The elevators open, revealing the bottom floor of the Training Center. I can hear them, the clashing of metal and slight applause. I knew they'd be let in here, but it still surprises me that it's available for use today.

"Cato?" I say, stepping out from behind a dummy.

"Oh, look, it's the body-builder from Twelve," the huge boy from Two says. The others smirk.

"Look, can I talk to you for a second?"

"What do you want?" Clove says, moving toward me, a knife in hand.

"I don't wanna fight or anything. I have a proposition."

"Oh? And what might that be?" Cato says. Clove falls back into line with the others.

I really don't know how to say it. Every way I try to put it seems like a lie, and I've never been a very good liar. My mother could always see right through me. I set my back straight, head high and just come out with it. I consider getting on my knees for a second, but I'm better than that.

"I'd like to join the Careers." Before the moron from One can laugh, I raise my hand. "Just listen, please. I know Katniss. I know what she's capable of, really, and I know you want to watch your backs with her. I can help you find her in the arena. It's not much help, but I know her plan for the Games and I can lead you to her. I promise, after we've found her, you can kill me first."

The pair from One squint while they listen, but Cato nods.

"Sounds good. As long as you don't plan on throwing a log at us or something before that."

"I promise. Please, just let me do this."

"Alright, you're in. Welcome to the Careers."

I grin, but even that is a lie. They didn't work it out, at all. I receive a round of pats on the back and handshakes.

I work with them for a couple of hours, and Cato even teaches me a thing or two about working with a sword. It's weird to think that he'll be killing me in a few days. But that's not going to happen until I've distracted them long enough and led them as far away from Katniss as possible. They're not going to kill her. They're going to fight among themselves about making such a terrible decision with letting me into the Careers. They're going to kill each other, or get themselves into trouble somehow. I'm going to die, as well.

But she's going to win. Katniss is going home to her family if it's the last thing I ever do. I'm going to save her. I'm going to save her _again._


End file.
